Risk of postoperative urinary retention after laparoscopic (TAPP) or endoscopic (TEP) inguinal hernia repair

Does Transverse Abdominis Plane Block Increase the Risk of Postoperative Urinary Retention after Inguinal Hernia Repair?

Background and Objective:

Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a common adverse event after inguinal hernia repair (IHR), with an incidence of up to 22.2%. The aim of this study is to determine if pre-operative transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block increases the incidence of POUR.

Methods:

A retrospective review was performed for all patients who underwent IHR (open or laparoscopic) at this institution, from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017. Patients were divided into two groups: Patients that had a TAP block before surgery (group 1) and patients with no TAP block (group 2). Common demographics and comorbidities were collected along with postoperative outcomes and POUR incidence rates for every group to determine procedural influence.

Results:

From 276 patients reviewed, 28.2% (N = 78) underwent TAP block before surgery. The patient cohort mean age was 61.1 ± 14.4 years. Most the interventions were laparoscopic (81.2%) and an overall POUR incidence rate of 7.6% (N = 21) was observed. Comparatively, common demographics and comorbidities were statistically similar for both groups, with the exception of type 2 diabetes mellitus (p = 0.049). Individually, group 1 and 2 presented POUR incidence rates of 14.1% and 5.05%, respectively. While intraoperative fluid administration, early readmission rate, and length were similar in both groups, there was a significant difference in POUR incidence rates (p = 0.01).

Conclusion:

Patients undergoing TAP block during IHR might have an increased risk of developing POUR. Further larger, prospective, and randomized controlled studies are necessary to better assess these findings.

Mesh fixation with fibrin glue versus tacker in laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair

BACKGROUND

The advent of mesh was a breakthrough in the field of hernia surgery. Mechanical methods of mesh fixation are hypothesized to cause more tissue trauma than nonmechanical methods. The present study was conducted to study the outcomes of mesh fixation using fibrin glue, a nonmechanical method versus tackers in totally extraperitoneal repair (TEP) of unilateral inguinal hernia.

METHODS

A randomized controlled single blinded study was conducted in India from June 2017 to March 2019. Patients diagnosed with unilateral uncomplicated inguinal hernia with a hernial sac of size not more than 5 cm were invited to participate in the study. Sample size was 60 patients randomized into groups just before mesh fixation. In group A mesh was fixed using tackers while in group B mesh was fixed using fibrin glue. Patients were followed-up prospectively for 3 months.

RESULTS

There was no statistical difference between the two groups with respect to operating time. Average hospital stay and pain scores at all follow-ups were better for fibrin glue group. There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative urinary retention, seroma formation and hematoma formation between the two groups. Patients of fibrin glue group had early restart of daily activities at 15 days follow-up when compared to tacker group.

CONCLUSION

Fibrin glue fixation technique should be advocated over tackers for mesh fixation in TEP considering the better outcomes and cost-effectiveness of the technique.

Risk Factors for Postoperative Urinary Retention After Endoscopic Hernia Repair: Age and Unilateral Operation make the Difference

BACKGROUND

Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a common complication after inguinal hernia repair that may result in catheter-related infections or injuries, longer hospital stays, and thus, higher overall costs. Our aim was to assess the incidence of POUR after endoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair and identify its risk factors.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed all data that were included in a prospective Hernia Database for patients undergoing a TEP inguinal hernia repair at our institution between July 2012 and May 2018. POUR was defined as the inability to urinate spontaneously after surgery, thus requiring a bladder catheter.

RESULTS

Data from 1570 patients were included. Sixty-five patients developed POUR, which was an incidence of 4.1%. In the univariate analysis, patients over 50 years of age (1.6% vs. 5.5%), patients with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (ASA-1 2.7% vs. ASA-3 12.5%), previous prostate surgery (3.9% vs. 10.9%), unilateral operation (1.9% vs. 6.0%), and intraoperative drain placement (2.1% vs. 4.9%) developed POUR more often than younger patients. After multivariate adjustment, advanced age and unilateral surgery remained risk factors for POUR.

CONCLUSION

Advanced age and unilateral inguinal hernia repair, possibly due to a lack of catheterization, were risk factors for POUR. Due to increasing outpatient inguinal hernia repairs worldwide, it is imperative to identify patients who are at risk of POUR to apply prophylactic measures and reduce readmission, and thus, reduce health-care costs.

Comparison of peritoneal closure versus non-closure in laparoscopic trans-abdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair with coated mesh

BACKGROUND

Peritoneal closure during laparoscopic trans-abdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair has been the standard of care to prevent bowel obstruction due to adhesions generated by contact with mesh. However, with newer coated meshes, leaving the peritoneal layer open may be safe. While many studies compare methods of peritoneal flap closure, there is a deficit of literature reporting the outcomes of non-closure.

METHODS

A retrospective comparison of peritoneal flap closure versus non-closure during primary laparoscopic TAPP inguinal hernia repair with coated mesh was performed for all patients at Baystate Medical Center meeting inclusion criteria between January 2005 and August 2016. Primary outcome was any procedure-related adverse outcome following repair. Secondary outcomes included operative time, resolution of pre-operative pain and/or gastrointestinal symptoms, and hernia recurrence.

RESULTS

Of 231 patients, 55 (24%) underwent peritoneal flap closure and 176 (76%) underwent non-closure. Demographic, comorbidity, and hernia characteristics were comparable between groups with the exception of obesity (p = 0.01), current smoking status (p = 0.05) and hernia side [p = 0.04 (left), 0.0003 (right)]. Mean operative time was higher in the closure group than non-closure (98.1 ± 37.1 min vs. 76.8 ± 32.9, p < 0.0001). No cases were converted to open. Average follow-up was 21.6 ± 23.8 months. Ninety-three percent of closure patients had documented resolution of pre-operative pain versus 94.0% of non-closure (p = 0.81). The closure group experienced a higher percentage of post-operative complications, though this did not reach significance (5.5 vs. 2.3%; p = 0.36). Compared to the closure group, the non-closure groups experienced similar post-operative pain (3.6 vs. 1.2%; p = 0.24) and recurrence rate (1.8 vs. 4.0%; p = 0.68). There were no bowel obstructions, surgical site infections, unplanned readmissions, or unplanned re-operations.

CONCLUSIONS

Equivalent patient outcomes were seen for both procedure types post-operatively and during follow-up. Operative times were significantly shorter for non-closure patients. Larger study population and longer follow-up is necessary to evaluate true long-term complication rates in flap non-closure.